(6 minutes) In part one of this series, I focused on the disconnect between the teachings and example of Jesus and the practice and theology of the church throughout history. In part two, we looked at two of the reasons for this historical disconnect: the abandonment of Christianity’s Jewish heritage… Continue reading
History is littered with failed kingdoms and empires which have brought destruction upon themselves. Every empire has assumed that it is the exception—that it will last forever and is exempt from the consequences of practicing evil. But every one of these empires have brought about their own destruction. Continue reading
In Tenacious Solidarity: Biblical Provocations on Race, Religion, Climate, and the Economy, biblical scholar Walter Brueggemann offers this definition of totalism: By “totalism” I mean a system of signs and symbols that make a claim of validity that is all-encompassing, that will allow no challenge or competition, and that will… Continue reading
(In other articles, I have expressed my debt to and appreciation of the work of biblical scholar Walter Brueggemann. Tenacious Solidarity: Biblical Provocations on Race, Religion, Climate, and the Economy is one of his recent books which I believe speaks so powerfully to our current national crisis. It is 472… Continue reading
The Tower of Babel story has a profound understanding as to why empires fail in their arrogant attempts to play God and unify humanity under their imperial banners. Continue reading
Christians today fall into three camps when it comes to the question of the Devil’s existence. Conservative Christians assume the objective reality of the Devil. Liberals often deny that reality. However, most Christians simply choose to ignore the issue. My approach is to set aside what theologians call the “ontological… Continue reading
I have been asked why John wrote his message using such bizarre and confusing symbols. If his point was to communicate the spiritual, life and death struggle between Rome and the church/between Caesar and Christ, then why didn’t he just say that in ways that are easy for us to understand? Continue reading
